The 14th Annual Children of Armenia Fund Gala Honoring Patricia Field Raises More Than $3 Million

Saturday nights in New York City during the holidays can be brutally busy between shopping and party season. And this past weekend, the Children of Armenia Fund hosted its 14th annual gala at Cipriani 42nd Street for a sold-out crowd. In the mix were designer Michael Aram with husband Aret Tikiryan, chef Geoffrey Zakarian, and master of ceremonies Andrea Martin. After musical performances from Armenian talents Ani Margaryan and Aleksandr Avetisyan, the evening kicked into high gear, celebrating the efforts that costume designer Patricia Field has done to champion the mission of COAF, which empowers youth through educational initiatives, and the organization’s founder and chairman, Dr. Garo Armen.

Also highlighted that evening was the new SMART Center, which will create a new epicenter of technology for the Lori region of Armenia and provide programming in arts, music, and sustainable agriculture. A live auction presided over by Simon de Pury and Haig Boyadjian saw treasures curated by art industry veteran Tony Shafrazi, including Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jacob & Co. timepiece and a Marilyn Minter piece, get snapped up by the chic crowd which included Alice Saraydarian and Janette Avanessians. And with a performance by Vanessa Williams, the evening raised a staggering $3.6 million, all going towards the innovative SMART Center for a brilliant start to 2018.